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Summer 2007 - ActionLine

by Edita Birnkrant | Summer 2007

Bed and a Vegetarian Breakfast: Delicious Destinations

Vegetarians, it would seem, are being welcomed and catered to everywhere. It’s possible for animal-friendly eaters to travel virtually anywhere in the world these days without worrying about enduring an unintentional fast. When relaxation and a stress-free getaway are what you desire, a vegan bed-and-breakfast is the perfect place to recharge and have some fun, stay healthy, and leave your “what will I eat?” concerns at home. Here are some popular picks.

Almost Heaven

Called the “sister inn” to the Sweet Onion is the Sweet Thyme Inn, is located in rural Green Bank, W V, and run by Patricia Merithew and Chuck Merithew. Book ahead to save one of the four cozy guest rooms in this restored Southern classic homestead. The serene location is a picture-perfect place to unwind from a fast-paced life. It’s also a nature-lover’s delight; surrounded as it is by the Allegheny Mountains and Monongahela National Forest. Guests can explore the surrounding wilderness areas over hiking trails, with their scenic beauty at every turn. Numerous area attractions abound as well.

Nearby Snowshoe Mountain Resort offers skiing in winter and mountain biking once the snow is gone. Organic and hearty vegan meals are served at breakfast and dinner, prepared from scratch with an emphasis on seasonal produce.

For those looking for a truly uncommon B&B experience, The White Pig Bed & Breakfast in Schuyler , Va. , at Briar Creek Farm holds the unique distinction of also being an animal sanctuary. Twelve pot-bellied pigs, all rescued by innkeepers Dina Brigish and Hal Brigish , reside on the 170-acre farm. So do three dogs and four cats. The White Pig bills itself as a “Vegan Oasis in Blue Ridge Mountains of Central Virginia,” and serves as a protected sanctuary for the free-living animals inhabiting the land.

The restored folk Victorian farmhouse, named after Hal and Dina’s first potbellied pig, Norman, has t wo guestrooms with a private bath and a guest suite with a private bath. The pig theme appears in the collection of antiques throughout the house.

If gourmet meals are what you crave, The White Pig is the place to be. Organic, vegan meals are served daily for breakfast, in addition to afternoon snacks, dinner on Saturday nights and bagged lunches upon request. Innkeeper and resident chef Dina graduated from New York City’s Natural Gourmet Cookery School and also completed an internship at the Millennium Restaurant in San Francisco.

Visitors can explore the city of Charlottesville in addition to meandering over the farm’s hiking trails, watching birds, and enjoying the hot-spring spa.

Caribbean Paradise

The Lodge, in Grenada, is a vegan tropical oasis with sumptuous surroundings of rain forests and mountains in the glistening southeastern Caribbean . Mark Hardy and Mary Hardy run this eco-conscious guesthouse just outside Grenada’s capital town of St. George's. Guests occupy two double en-suite bedrooms, each with private balconies and breathtaking ocean and sunset views. Both rooms are billed as “honeymoon suites” and are fittingly well-appointed and romantic. Gourmet, organic and vegan, the international cuisine is served three times a day.

Grenada is a small island; nothing is out of reach. The world-renowned Grand Anse Beach is only a short distance from the B&B. Biking is a popular way to get around, and eco-friendly. If you’re ready to be swept away by the island allure at the Caribbean’s only dedicated vegan travel destination, head for the Lodge in Grenada.

Northwest Holistic Spa

The Annapurna Center for Self Healing , located in Port Townsend, Wa., is a beautiful seaside retreat center for the mind, body and spirit. Located two hours from Seattle, the Victorian Seaport village of Port Townsend is a lovely setting for an assortment of therapies and treatments. Annapurna is the “Goddess of Plentitude who is full of real nutritional healing,” and visitors will find this a fitting name for this sanctuary devoted to self-betterment and transformation.

Founder Robin Sharan has devoted her life to healing, and her long list of certifications and credentials attest to this. Robin seeks to restore and rejuvenate guests through a process of deep purification using “real food, real water, and human touch,” including massage, reflexology, gall bladder flushes, colon hydrotherapy, Turkish steam baths, Far-infrared sauna, cranial/sacral therapy, yoga classes and meditation. Seven rooms are available in the 1881 Victorian house also accommodate the massages and therapies offered. Guests have a choice of a private room with bath or a shared room with a semi-private bath. There is a two-night minimum for all rooms, and all rates include access to their spa and an Organic Alive breakfast. Lush gardens brimming with fruits, vegetables and herbs provide a sensory delight amidst the natural surrounding beauty.

All meals served at Annapurna are billed as “Organic Live Cuisine,” and are totally vegan, and raw (live). Robin teaches people that “you must be vegan in order to heal,” and the inventive, gourmet live food served at Annapurna is just one part of the process that Robin hopes will allow guests to reach their optimal health.

For whatever ails you, a trip to the Annapurna is sure to be a transformative experience.

Conscientious travel is not only possible; it’s breathtakingly beautiful at these five bed-and-breakfasts that are as equally dedicated to ethical tourism as they are to providing a unique experience for each and every guest.